2022 visit by Kenneth O'Conner to the Antilles
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| Date | August 25–27, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location |
 Columbia City, Hispaniola, Antilles |
| Type | State visit |
| Cause | 2021–23 Caribbean diplomatic crisis |
On 25 August 2022, Kingdom of Sierra politician Kenneth O'Conner, while serving as Leader of the Opposition and the Royalist and Federalist Party, visited the Antilles (officially the United Commonwealth of America) as part of a three day visit to the partially-recognized island country in the Caribbean. O'Conner was accompanied by a delegation of Royalist Party politicians and was a largely surprised and unsanctioned visit which was part of a wider tour by O'Conner to other countries in Anglo-America, specigically nations aligned with the Conference of American States. The visit was not sanctioned by the federal government in Sierra and was criticized by Prime Minister Susan Kwon and her government.
Secretary of State Bradley Gallagher received O'Conner and his delegation and was one of several Antillean government and state officials to meet with O'Conner and his delegation in Columbia City, Hispaniola. Upon his arrival, O'Conner said his visit was to represent Sierra's "silent but strong commitment towards the Antilles in defense of freedom against Landonist aggression". The trip included meeting with several government officials, including those in the Executive Council, and a meeting with President Arian Lawrence at the Presidential Palace.
The visit ended on August 27 with O'Conner giving an interview with CBS News on Face the Nation before departing for Brazoria. The visit was condemned by the United Commonwealth in the American mainland, which sent diplomatic warnings to the Sierran government through diplomatic channels. Two days after the visit on August 29, the Chattanooga Pact began a series of military exercises in and around the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea between the armed forces of the United Commonwealth, Mexico, and the United People's Committees. The visit was condemned by the Continental States and its allies as a provocative move while in the CAS and European Community it was met with mixed reception overall.
Background
The last Sierran politician to have visited the Antilles prior to 2022 was Matthew Braggs, then Leader of the Opposition and Royalist Party, in 1997 where he visited the island nation to show solidarity with the country in the face of Antilles' continuous conflict with the Continental States and traveled to commemorate the country's role in opposing Landonism during the Cold War in the Caribbean. Braggs' visit was the first by any Sierran politician to have occured since the end of the Great War in 1938 and occurred towards the end of the Cold War where the Antilles had begun its process of democratization as well. O'Conner, a supporter of the Antilles and recognizing it as an independent state, announced his plans to visit the island country in on April 2, 2022. The news was first announced by EBN News before it was later confirmed in an official statement by O'Conner himself saying he was looking for the "correct time" to visit the country.
At the time of O'Conner's announcement, the Caribbean diplomatic crisis had broken out following the Amazonas incident in December 2021 and resulted in a major decline in the diplomatic relations between the United Commonwealth and the Conference of American States since the formalization of relations in 1998 and tensions would rise to levels not seen since the Cold War with allies of both parties taking sides and getting involved. O'Conner would condemn the sinking of the Amazonas and pushed for harsh economic sanctions on the United Commonwealth, the Andes and its allies and would co-sponsor and Economic Freedom and Trade Act in February 2022. O'Conner would formally announce a visit in April 2022 and on June 24, he stated that he was in talks with Antillean officials to organize a formal visit that would be part of a wider tour that he named the "Caribbean and America's Freedom Tour". O'Conner stated that a visit by Sierran and CAS officials to the Antilles was necessary as a means of showing gratitude to the country's role in the conflict on behalf of the CAS. On June 26, O'Conner stated that he would visit the country even knowing that the federal government led by the Kwon ministery would condemn such an act.
On August 1, a spokesperson for O'Conner announced that the visit would last three days and would begin on the 25th. In an opinion piece written for EBN News' website, O'Conner argued that the visit was to show gratitude to the Antilles for its role in the Caribbean conflict and that the world "stands at a crossroad between western democratic freedoms and Landonist tyranny".
Visit
After departing from his home province of the Inland Empire in Federal Sierra, O'Conner and his delegation arrived without incident at Columbia City, Hispaniola, at 7:43 pm Caribbean Standard Time via a K.S. Air Force transport plane and was received by Secretary of State Bradley Gallaghar and Amanda Odenkirk, Director of the Sierran Institute in the Antilles (SIA). O'Conner posted on his Bubbler account that his visit as proof of the Kingdom of Sierra's "often quiet yet ardent commitment toward the Antilles' defiance towards Continental tyranny and successful experiment in liberty and freedom". Upon his arrival, O'Conner was met with several officials of the ruling Federalist Party which endorsed the visit along with the National Libertarian Party while the opposition Civic Democratic Party sent no representatives.
O'Conner's delegation of Sierran Members of Parliament and Members of the American Parliament consisted of the following:
- Angelina Barton (R–Buttonwillow)
- Matthew DeSantis (R–Indio Springs)
- Joe Millard (R–Rio Bravo)
- Camden Robinson (R–Laurel Glen)
- Joshua Garrett (ACC–South Arizona)
- Evan Hutchison (ACC–Southwestern Corridor)
On the morning of August 26, O'Conner had breakfast at the Sierran Institute in the Antilles before he visited the Presidential Palace with his delegation where he met with Antillean government officials among them being President Arian Lawrence where the two conservative politicians discussed the complex relations between the Antilles and the Kingdom of Sierra, the ongoing Caribbean crisis, Operation Poseidon's Watch, and the push to seek Antillean recognition and acceptance into the wider international community including ascension into the Conference of American States. Just before the two leaders began their discussion, O'Conner posed for a picture along with Lawrence standing in front of a portrait of the late Amelia Abarough, the founder of the Antillean state and the first president who reigned from 1921 until her death in 1983. O'Conner later remarked that Abarough was an example of a "strong iron-hearted leader" who stood against the "Crimson hordes in defense of freedom". Said action and statements would later be a source of international controversy, especially in Anglo-America.
Reactions
Kingdom of Sierra
O'Conner's visit was a source of controversy in the Kingdom of Sierra as the visit was largely criticized by the federal government under the Kwon ministry. Prime Minister Susan Kwon accused O'Conner of engaging in a "utterly reckless" act and claimed that his visit had risen the risk of further conflict. Foreign Minister Maggie Chan warned that O'Conner's visit threatened to undermine the "fragile but necessary" ambiguous relation with the Antilles and also warned of potential increase in tension and relations. Both the Social Democrats and the Democratic-Republican Party condemned the visit along with the Green Party of Sierra with Green Party leader Jonathan Mueller accusing O'Conner of "pandering to derzhy reactionaries" with his praise of Amelia Abarough. Duane Lulani, who is considered a leading Democratic-Republican advocate for the Antilles, also criticized the trip, believing that O'Conner had harmed regional relations.
On the other side of the aisle, O'Conner's trip to the Antilles was nearly unanimously supported by the Royalist and Libertarian parties, who have long pushed for greater recognition of the Antilles. Deputy Leader of the Royalist Party Isabelle Huynh referred to O'Conner's visit as "historic" and "groundbreaking", while K.S. Senator Preston Barton, whose cousin Angelina Barton was a member of O'Conner's delegation, said the trip will "mend an important relationship damaged by [Kwon]". Leader of the Libertarian Party Ryan Porter also referred to the visit as "historic" while prominent Libertarian politician Sarah Behrman denounced the criticism of O'Conner's trip, alleging that his critics were being "influenced by Chicago". President of the Deseret Jeremiah Tanner and First Minister of Bajaría Carmen Silva-Reyes both congratulated O'Conner for visiting the Antilles, with Silva-Reyes announcing her own interest in visiting the island nation.
United Commonwealth
International
Intergovernmental organizations
Conference of American States – Secretary-General Johann Hauptsmann held a press conference where he expressed surprise that O'Conner visiting the Antilles, but stated that his visit was legal and that the Continental response was disproportionate and injust, accusing the Continental government and the Chattanooga Pact of "burning a farm over roadkill". On September 1, the American Security Council stated that it was monitoring the Chattanooga Pact military exercises and stated that the CAS would "respond instantly" if the Antilles was militarily threatened.
European Community – A spokesperson for the European Community released a statement emphasizing the supranational union's commitment to the One America policy while also expressing a desire for "friendly relations and close cooperation with Hispaniola". On August 30, a European Community foreign policy representative released a statement condemning the Chattanooga Pact's response to O'Conner's visit.
Marxist–Maoist Conference – The Marxist–Maoist Conference condemned the visit and accused O'Conner of "appealing to reactionary radicals to oppose workers' liberation" with his visit and support for the Antilles. The ICMMO reiterated their view of the Antilles as illegitimate and called on its members and supporters to boycott Sierran goods and products in protest.
Landonist International – The Landintern condemned the visit and accused O'Conner of ending a months-long period of relative peace and stability, viewing it as an declaration of support for "Antillean and counter-revolutionary aggression against the Continental state in service of oppressive goals". The Landintern also accused O'Conner of being far-right for his praise of Amelia Abaorugh's leadership and called on Landintern supporters and allies to boycott all Sierran goods, products, and businesses in protest.
Countries
Alaska – President Nicolas McCarty expressed support for the visit believing that O'Conner's visit was both legal and a sign of gratitude for the role that the Antilles has played in the conflict. His reasoning for his view was Alaska's "legal and moral obligation to support all CAS member states and allies" including the Antilles and condemned the Chattanooga Pact, accusing them of overreaction that threatens further conflict.
Brazoria – Chancellor Ed Gonzales released a statement on August 26 where he declared his support for O'Conner's visit citing his legality and that the visit was a necessary act to show gratitude for the Antilles' role in the conflict. Gonzales condemned the Continental response and threats against the CAS, warning that it would retaliate in a proportional matter if the United Commonwealth fell through with its threats.
China – President Zhao Meijin expressed concern over O'Conner's intentions and beliefs with his visit accusing him of ignoring "blatantly obvious" risks in regards to his visit and accused him of supporting right-authoritarianism for his praise of Abarough and support for the Antilles. Chinese premier Wan Kaige would release a statement on August 31 stating that the visit was proof of the Sierran state's "hypocritical view of freedom".
France – Prime Minister Oscar de Saint-Just released a statement saying that the United Commonwealth's response was dispraportionate and that the visit did not justify the regional exercise and threats by the Continental government against CAS member states.
Manitoba – Prime Minister Matthew McCarthy publically expressed his support for O'Conner's vist and accused questions of its legality as "foolish nonsense". While McCarthy did express mild criticism of O'Conner's comments on Abarough by calling them "poorly worded", he nonetheless viewed the visit as a positive move and stated that it was a justified act of gratitude and solidarity between the CAS member states. He also condemned the Chattanooga Pact's military exercises in response and accused them of threatening violent attacks, risking escalating the conflict in the Caribbean.
North Vietnam – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement stressing support for negotiation and called on Sierra to showcase restraint. The Foreign Office also reiterated North Vietnamese support for the United Commonwealth in the Caribbean crisis.
Spain – Prime Minister Gabriel Perez condemned O'Conner's visit calling it "utterly reckless" and accused him of "pandering to reactionary fools" by praising Abarough as a strong leader. He expressed interest in sanctioning O'Conner, but admitted it was unlikely due to his support for Sierran prime minister Susan Kwon and questionable support in parliament.
Superior – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Andrew Keyes released a statement condoning O'Conner's visit and expressing his support for it while also repeating O'Conner's claims that his visit reflected a quiet support of the Antilles, one that was shared in Superior. President Isaac Dillon also supported the visit and stated that the Chattanooga Pact response was antagonistic while implying a potential visit to the island state by Dillon himself.
United Kingdom – Prime Minister Clive Spencer released a statement where he expressed his personal approval of O'Conner's visit calling it a "necessary and deserved act of gratitude" towards the Antilles for their "defense of the Caribbean from Continental and Andean terror". He also condemned the Chattanooga Pact's military exercises and accused them of seeking to escalate the conflict for their own gains. Tony Robinson, Spencer's deputy prime minister, held a press conference at 10 Downing Street in London where he also expressed support for the visit and implied that he would visit the Antilles in the near future. He stated that Britain was "100% behind the Antilles" citing its recognition of the island country in 2020 and accused the Chattanooga Pact of threatening war with their response.
Interpretations and popular responses
Aftermath
See also
- Foreign relations of the Antilles
- Foreign relations of the Kingdom of Sierra
- Foreign relations of the United Commonwealth
- Antilles–Kingdom of Sierra relations
- Sierra–United Commonwealth relations
- Cross-Sea relations
- History of the United Commonwealth
- History of the Antilles
- 2021–23 Caribbean diplomatic crisis
- One America
- Continental Revolutionary War
- Gulf of Mexico crisis
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- Start-class articles
- Altverse II
- 2022 in the Antilles
- 2022 in Sierran politics
- 2022 in international relations
- 2021–23 Caribbean diplomatic crisis
- August 2022 events in North America
- Diplomatic visits
- Kenneth O'Conner
- Antilles–Kingdom of Sierra relations
- Cross-Sea relations
- Kingdom of Sierra–United Commonwealth relations